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DOCUMtENT RESUME
06272 - (81726768]
Are Neiqhborhood Health Centers Providing fSrvices Efficiently
to the Host Needy? HRD-77-124; B-164031(5). June 20, 197e. 33
pp. + 5 appendices (12 pp.).
Report to the Congress; by Robert F. Keller, Acting Comptroller
Gctneral.
Issue Area: Health Programs: Health roviders 11202); Health
Proqrams: Efficiency and Effectiveress of Grantees and
Contractors in Providing Treatment Services (1215).
Contact: Human Resources Div.
Budget Function: Health: Health Care Services (551); Health:
Hraltk .lanninq and Construction (554).
Orqanization Concerned: Department of Health, Education, and
WelfaLe.
Conqressional Relevance: House Committee on Interstate and
Foreiqn Commerce; Senate Committee cr Human Resources;
Coaqress.
Authority: Public Health Service Act, as axeanree (42 U.S.C. 254c
; 42 U.S.C. 300e). Social Security Act 442 U.S.C. 1395; 42
U.S.C. 1396). National Health Planning and Resources
Development Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-641). National Consumer
Health Information and Health Promotion Act of 1976 4P.L.
94-317). Planninq and Health Services Asendments of 1966.
P.L. 94-63. B-164031(2) (1974).
Federally funded neighborhood health centes provide a
wide range of ambulatory health services to residents (jpzimarily
the urban poor) of the &reas designated as medically
underserved. The Department of Health, Education, and owlfare
(HEW) funds 112 neighborhood health centers; much cottezs
received most of the $197 million apprcpriated in fiscal ysar
1976 for HEV's community health center program.
Findinqs/Conclusicns: There are five tasic situations in need of
improvement in the neiqhborhood health center prograu: (1)
centers are understaffed for the numter cf patients treated, and
the underuse of physicians, dentists, sautprt Fersonnel, and
services costs more than $1 million annually; (2) demand for
health services from neighborhood health centers is not likely
to increase beyond present levels and could decline; (3) Hf3l has
not made sure that centers are servin3 residents of medically
underserved areas and does not know the ouster of percentages of
users who live in these areas; (4) HEW nc lcnger requires
centers to become financially self-sufficient; and (5) although
the Public Health Service Act requires the centers to prcvide
preventive health care, most patients use the health centers to
cure illness instead of for prevention. HEW needs to develop and
more strongly enforce productivity standards for all health
center employees. Recommendations: 1he Secretary of REV should:
reduce the nervice capacity at inefficient centers to levels
consistent with the demaa for servicces, enforce compliance with](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaaxlr0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)